Bidens plant named ‘Dobibitora’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Bidens  plant named ‘Dobibitora’, characterized by its compact, semi-upright to trailing and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large inflorescences with bright yellow, yellow orange and orange-colored ray florets and yellow to yellow orange-colored disc florets; and strong and flexible peduncles that hold the inflorescences above and beyond the foliar plane.

Botanical designation: Bidens ferulifolia.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOBIBITORA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Bidens plant, botanically known as Bidens ferulifolia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dobibitora’.

The new Bidens plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and early-flowering Bidens plants with numerous large and attractive inflorescences.

The new Bidens plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany in July, 2015 of a proprietary selection of Bidens ferulifolia identified as code number BB14-001214-002, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Bidens ferulifolia identified as code number BB14-001114-003, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Bidens plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Bidens plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Bidens plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Bidens have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dobibitora’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dobibitora’ as a new and distinct Bidens plant:

-   -   1. Compact, semi-upright to trailing and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large inflorescences with bright yellow, yellow orange and         orange-colored ray florets and yellow to yellow orange-colored         disc florets.     -   6. Strong and flexible peduncles that hold the inflorescences         above and beyond the foliar plane.

Plants of the new Bidens differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Bidens are more compact than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Bidens have larger inflorescences than         plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Bidens differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Bidens are more compact than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Bidens have broader leaves than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Bidens flower earlier than plants of the         male parent selection.

Plants of the new Bidens can be compared to plants of Bidens triplinervia ‘Florbikano’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,087. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Bidens differ from plants of ‘Florbikano’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Bidens are more compact than and not as         vigorous as plants of ‘Florbikano’.     -   2. Plants of the new Bidens have broader leaves than plants of         ‘Florbikano’.     -   3. Plants of the new Bidens flower earlier than plants of         ‘Florbikano’.     -   4. Plants of the new Bidens are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Florbikano’.     -   5. Plants of the new Bidens and ‘Florbikano’ differ in ray and         disc floret color as plants of ‘Florbikano’ have yellow orange         and dark orange bi-colored ray florets and bright yellow-colored         disc florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Bidens plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Bidens plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dobibitora’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 22-cm containers during the spring and early summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Bidens production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were 13 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Bidens ferulifolia ‘Dobibitora’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Bidens ferulifolia             identified as code number BB14-001214-002, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Bidens ferulifolia             identified as code number BB14-001114-003, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; color, close to 155B.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, semi-upright to trailing             and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about 23             primary lateral branches each with about six to eight             secondary lateral branches.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 31.5             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 32             cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 72 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 39 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 5 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture and             luster: Pubescent; semi-glossy. Color, developing: Close to             144C. Color, fully developed: Close to 146B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple or trifoliate.         -   Leaf length.—About 4 cm.         -   Leaf width.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Leaflet length.—About 1.8 to 3 cm.         -   Leaflet width.—About 9 mm to 15 mm.         -   Shape.—Trullate.         -   Apex.—Apiculate.         -   Base.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Moderately incised; laciniate; sinuses divergent.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,             glabrous; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 137B; color does not change in the autumn. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 148B; venation,             close to 138B; color does not change in the autumn.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 146C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Single (daisy) inflorescence form with ray and             disc florets forming acropetally on a receptacle;             inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliar plane             on strong and flexible peduncles; inflorescences face             upright to outwardly.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit; about 275 to 325             inflorescences developing per plant during the flowering             season.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during             the spring in Germany; early flowering habit, plants begin             flowering about five weeks after planting.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Individual inflorescences last             about one week on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About             5 mm. Shape: Oblong. Texture and luster: Rippled;             semi-glossy. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.2 cm. Depth (height):             About 8 mm. Disc diameter: About 7 mm. Receptacle diameter:             About 4 mm. Receptacle height: About 4.5 mm. Receptacle             color: Close to 7A and 144C.         -   Ray florets.—Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About             five to eight arranged in a single whorl. Length: About             1.4 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Elliptical to ovate. Apex:             Emarginate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 17A, 8A and             45A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 15A. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 17A, 8A and N25A; venation,             close to 164B; color does not change with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 13A; venation, close to             164B; color does not change with development.         -   Disc florets.—Number of disc florets per inflorescence:             About 50 arranged in about three to four whorls. Shape:             Tubular, elongated; apex, five-pointed. Length: About             5.2 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture and luster, inner and             outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, when             opening, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 7A. Color, fully             opened, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 14A.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About six to eight             in a single whorl. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 1 mm.             Shape: Elliptical, elongated. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.             Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 144B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 5 cm. Diameter,             terminal peduncle: About 1.5 mm. Length, third peduncle:             About 4 cm. Diameter, third peduncle: About 1.2 mm.             Strength: Strong; flexible. Aspect: Upright to outwardly,             inflorescences held above and beyond the foliar plane.             Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color:             Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Quantity per disc floret: Two. Filament length: About             2 mm. Filament color: Close to 7A. Anther shape: Oval.             Anther size: About 1 mm by 3 mm. Anther color: Close to             202A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 14A.             Gynoecium: Present disc florets only. Quantity per disc             floret: One. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Style length: About             4 mm. Style color: Close to 9C. Stigma diameter: About 2 mm.             Stigma shape: Bifurcate. Stigma color: Close to 15A. Ovary             color: Close to 145C.         -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development has not been             observed on plants of the new Bidens to date. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Bidens have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Bidens plants     to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Bidens have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate     temperatures from about 3° C. to about 28° C. and to be suitable for     USDA Hardiness Zone 11. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Bidens plant named ‘Dobibitora’ as illustrated and described. 